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Let us know your thoughts on volume 2!

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Conk

Worst season yet

JAYN

For sure

leah

I love season 5 lol. People were doing way too much theorizing prior to its release which is why ppl feel let down. No one knows how to enjoy things at face value anymore without feeling hurt that their fav ships didn’t get together or their fav theory didn’t happen etc. I do think it’s flawed but I think every season (besides season 1) is flawed. The writing was nowhere near as good as the first 1-3 seasons and the acting has definitely gotten worse among other things, but I do not think it was as big of a letdown as everyone else apparently does. This is coming from someone who watched season one the first week it came out in 2016 btw

Mia Malvik ⚞ • ⚟

Writing in the actual dumpster. Most of the characters are just ruined and it sucks

Darrell Henry

Bro wtf is this writing? No one cares that Will is gay. However if you’re going to do a coming out scene to save the world please make it more emotional/realistic.

Nomaan

Thoughts? Beyond mid. Writing? Mid. Acting? Mid. Everything mid. Some of the visuals are good tho

Jessica

Look I think these episodes were good and had a lot of good moments, we got things answered and those emotional moments were great overall setting up to the finale, but way too much plot armor that feels so unnecessary and this episode imo was too slow and could have been built differently but I liked volume 2 still and I’m guessing (hoping) they are putting all the action etc in the finale!!! Hope they succeed 🥹 I’m nervous ngl got ending has me traumatized still

Jessica

Steve and Dustin scene as well as Nancy & Jonathan and max with Lucas were absolutely beautiful! I loved them so much!!

Chris

Not as bad as everyone is making it out to be. Doesn’t matter what no one is ever gonna truly be happy.

r3

holy fuck yall are some whining bitches in these comments and on the internet in general complaining about every little thing

r3

god yall are some whining bitches my god

Conk

"How dare you not like poop!😡😡"

JAYN

Will’s coming out scene sucked, it felt out of place and was unrealistic. I much preferred it be between will and Joyce for a more emotional scene instead of it being held like a conference meeting. Like why was Murray and Kali there?

Jessica

This episode is the calm before the storm, which honestly after the finale it’s probably gonna tie up really nice I’m hoping!!

Conk

I sometimes wish I could blindly consume media and not care how shit it is.

Conk

Worst season of Stranger Things for sure though 🫡

Jessica

!!!! I swear I’m gonna be bawling if they die 💔

Mia Malvik ⚞ • ⚟

Fr!! They actually did it in the worst possible way and it's so disappointing

ItsyaboyJABBER

Noah Schnapps acting is genuinely so bad lol

pineapplegreg

Volume 2 definitely feels very off to me. It feels like we are missing some scenes, a lot of the character feel out of character, mainly Mike. He’s giving nothing burger and it’s really annoying considering he’s supposed to be the “heart” of the group. Even compared to Volume 1 he seems so different. Also where is Eleven? I feel like she's hardly is the story this season. Her and Vecna were beefing hard last season and now?? That whole coming out scene left a pretty bad taste in mouth too, half of those people didn’t need to be the room for such a personal and intimate moment. HOWEVER Max and Lucas reuniting was so awesome to see! I’m not holding my breath that the finale is going to be able to wrap up the whole story in a satisfying way

hayden 💟

bro worst volume ever like how do u go from episode 4 absolute peak to this…episode 5 was not bad but 6 and 7 dude 💔💔 ruined the characters and all the storylines going on…they butchered mikes character and sidelined him…el feels so flat now and joyce who usually is always on top of things just isn’t??? no mention of anything from the stranger things play which is super important for henry’s character…they brought kali back and had the chance to make her a good character especially after all the hate she gets for that one episode and just made it worse?? mike and el have zero chemistry (not like they did before) but it gets to a point and that jancy scene which I thought was romantic and them working through their issues was apparently a breakup scene according to what the duffers said in a article??? el and max’s reunion was so underwhelming and will who is supposed to be the centre of this season being sidelined in volume 2…and then the duffers made the worst coming out scene for him ever…besides the fact that it felt so disney it genuinely was so bad. when they had all the set up and chance to make it a good intimate moment they ignored that and turned it into that…it honestly feels homophobic. they even said that they asked finn (mikes actor) “to carry a lot of emotional weight” ??? WHERE?? the scenes he’s in he’s just straight faced with no reaction to anything. I’m personally a will and mike shipper and even if u don’t ship them you can tell how wills love for mike is not as simple as robins love for tammy. robin didn’t know tammy, she was a hallways crush. will has known and been in love with mike since he’s known love and the fact that they keep making it seem as though it’s just a crush pisses me off. the plot holes that came with this volume is insane and I don’t know how they will be able to wrap this up satisfactorily at this point.

Jessica

def felt out of place 😭

christina

That's what i'm thinking as well. I think vol.1 was setting the scene, vol.2 was for closing up and tying up loose ends of the plot and the characters and the finale is gonna be where it all comes together and pieces together nicely. Fingers crossed that that's the case at least 😂

Jude’s IFs

I think wills confession could’ve been fine if all Hawkins hadn’t been there like what do Kali, Murray and Vickie have to do with that? 😭 overall all this season has been mid

hayden 💟

that’s crazy personally I feel like hes one of the only ones who was actually good at all

hayden 💟

dude it’s so bad it genuinely feels homophobic

Jessica

I feel like a lot of the characters are so different from just volume 1?? I have a big problem with how el is portrayed now and wills storyline got a little out of hand which is weird considering where ep 4 left off

Garrett skinner

Having a character come out as gay to a room full of people in the 80’s, in Indiana, in the height of the AIDS crisis is a…choice

Hmm

We are reaching slop levels that I didn't know existed. F tier acting AND writing

pineapplegreg

yes exactly!!! it’s so bizarre and frustrating!

Mia Malvik ⚞ • ⚟

You summarised everything perfectly. The disappointment is immeasurable because they had the perfect opportunity to write amazing storylines for all these characters and instead we got this 🫩 and I don't even know what this is

Jude’s IFs

I don’t trust Kali either it isn’t the first time she’s manipulated El to do something that wasn’t in her best interest

pineapplegreg

IT COULD’VE BEEN SO BEAUTIFUL MIA 💛💙😭

hayden 💟

and to add on I really couldn’t give less of a shit about the kids i’m sorry. I like holly and derrick a lot but the amount of screen time that holly gets compared to any of the og group this volume is kinda crazy. mike, el, and will all very important characters ESPECIALLY this season have been given barley any screen time this volume and so much of that screen time has been given to pointless stuff. the interesting and best part of this volume (and the show as a whole) is the vecna/will and even el stuff and they just barley gave any information or anything to that…and my thing is, is that the amount of queer bait they did is actually evil…if mike and will aren’t gonna get together why have any of that??? why have the character who’s a queer boy in the 80s have the worst life ever (been abused, bullied, possessed, burned alive, ran over, bodily horror, sa, etc be in love with his childhood best friend??? what was the point of that??? all the symbolism and references and even looks and convos…THE AWKWARD HUG IN SEASON 4???? why have any of that??? If mike doesn’t have internalized homophobia…he’s just an asshole??? horrible friend and boyfriend and homophobic for what he said to will in season 3😭😭😭😭 “dark christmas” they said…yeah the only way that was dark was how bad they messed it up. you know writing is bad when the writers have to confirm things through interviews. like we don’t even have 2 hours left since they duffers said there will be 40 minutes of epilogue…and there are some things I like and even love this volume don’t get me wrong like dustin and steve, max’s whole thing, etc but compared to the amount of shit and ass writing it’s like??

robson junior

You really pushed it now, lol. He's the only one delivering something in this second part.

ItsyaboyJABBER

Different strokes for different folks. His physical acting is good I can give him that but his line delivery majority of the time feels so flat and one dimensional to me, to the point that it takes me out of the scene. Personally for me I’d say, Sadie, Gaten, and Caleb have been the best performances this volume

Jessica

He’s good dude but the reveal scene overall was just not it. Not really because of the acting, but overall… tho I wish they kept the “RUUUUN” cut they used in the teaser that shit gave me chills

Gilster

Is this Matt or Ross?

hayden 💟

it actually makes me so sad because I love this show so much 💔💔💔💔💔

pineapplegreg

Holly SWINGING on her bestie made me really happy

hayden 💟

the plot armour is actually crazy💔💔 and I love all the characters, anyone of them dying will have me sobbing and heartbroken but now there is just SO many and no one important died so it feels like there is no stakes which takes me personally out of it yk😭😭

Jessica

It’s very underwhelming… I was so surprised no one died or at least got hurt? Too many moments that would pay off more without the plot armor 😭

hayden 💟

“whining bitches” as its people who are giving accurate criticism to a show (which so far has been absolute peak)…on a volume that did basically everything wrong…okayyy

Tyler

Despite the fact that I hated the circumstances it happened under Will’s coming out scene was so phenomenally acted by Noah it made me so emotional and sad thinking about my first time coming out to someone and how hard that was, which made me even more upset that they apparently made Noah film that humiliation ritual for 12hrs so they could get everyone’s “reaction” while literally not a single person but Jonathan showed any emotion

Nix

I’m really not vibing with this season, and to be honest, I have zero hopes for the finale. 🫩 For me, the main issues are the writing, the dialogue, and the fact that the cast is way too bloated. Stranger Things doesn't need to be Game of Thrones and kill off everyone, but you have to kill someone to make the stakes feel real. Right now, everyone feels like they have insane plot armor. Since this is the final season, it feels like no one is in actual danger besides Eleven and her potential sacrifice. Also, if you’re not going to kill off characters, at least stop adding new ones when the cast is already overcrowded. They should’ve stuck with the core group and focused on their development, but so far, very few characters actually feel like they've grown. I don't get how Holly and the kids' subplot is getting more screen time and more depth than the main characters. On top of that, the dialogue feels way too cheesy and cringey; it’s hard for the actors to deliver a good performance when the script is this bad.

Tyler

I could not disagree more I think Noah, Caleb, Sadie and Gaten had the best acting of the season, Noah took what was given to him by the writers and turned out the best performance possible considering the circumstances, if any other actor had played that coming out scene who didn’t have that lived experience like Noah it wouldn’t have been watchable

hayden 💟

the fact that he literally said he was deep in his emotions the whole time and just blocked out everyone😕😕😕he dissociated for 12 hours 💔 that’s just unbelievable cruel for anyone not even to mention that they knew him since he was so young and knew what he had to deal with the public just for being gay

ninie

bro i’m the biggest stranger things glazer known to man but this was not it omg I’m so disappointed

ninie

I’m the biggest El and Mike fan ever, but their characters were done so dirty. Since the cast is huge now, we can’t even focus and take time to develop our main group. Mike is as useful as a cardboard, when he’s the leader, the heart of the party. Now he’s only seen as El’s boyfriend and Will’s “crush”. El is once again a machine that’s only gonna be useful for her powers. If she does end up killing herself i’ll be pissed because if she has to go out, at least give her an interesting arc this season. I love Holly but honestly it’s frustrating to see her have so much screen time and attention in the FINAL season when the main characters are left behind.

ninie

The dialogue is incredibly corny. English isn’t even my first language, but I still watched the show in English to avoid listening to the atrocious voice over in French, and it’s still cringe. A lot of people are complaining about the acting, but trust me it would be so much better if they didn’t have those cringe one liners. I watched the table reads on the Tudum website and when they hear the actors saying these lines outline, how aren’t they thinking “this is lowkey corny”?

ninie

I don’t even like Byler like that, but even I agree that Mike wasn’t just a crush. Like it was deeper than this 😭

Daniella

Yeah ngl these batch of episodes weren't it which is annoying because i liked vol.1 a lot. It really irritates me when show writers will hype up a season or volume for its fans and just abysmally fail to deliver, cause what do you mean "It's gonna be a bloody christmas" and you make us wait a whole month for that? They might as well have just put these batch of episodes with volume 1. There are two hours in the finale and I personally don't see how they're going explain the brief case stuff/more of Henry's past, killing Vecna and stopping the collision, plus killing off a major character with emotional weight combined with a satisfying epilogue. This season is very messy and needed a lot more tighter pacing with a lot less telling and more showing, overall it was mid, good moments but still mid :/

Belle Sharrar

I have never understood the "you're going to have a queer boy in the 80's have the worst life ever" comments. Will has always been the center point of Vecna since season 1. He was taken, than possessed, and has never been able to escape him. He has always had it the worst so why is it suddenly such a big horrible thing now. Because he didnt get together with Mike? So Mike was going to magically fix all the problems in the show by making Byler real. Will learned to love himself and have people close to him love him unconditionally. His mom, jonathan, his friends. He found someone he can relate with and ask for advice and be himself around, which to me throughout the show seems to be all he truly wanted. There was also no queerbaiting because the fandom and ship was created purely by you guys. Not the show runners. You guys were the one claiming that because will and mike stood in the same field that joyce and hopper did, they will be together (this this is an actual theory that SOME bylers came up with). And if you really think that the writers were going to make Mike drop his girlfriend of years and suddenly have a "im gay for will" moment while his world is ending, sister is missing, parents are in the hospital and his girlfriend is about to sacrifice herself and die, then thats on you. The show doesnt revolve around the romantic partners. Not even Mileven.

maite˙⋆✮

y'all really gonna hate my opinion but I liked vol 2 oops

Sam

I found both the writing and the acting in that scene incredibly corny

Sam

*something serious and time-sensitive is happening* Every character: “time for a 20 minute monologue about my feelings”

Belle Sharrar

Same! While yes I do think a character death during the three episodes would of been emotional and good, I think these were solid set up episodes for the finale.

Nix

I totally agree! Mike and El are my favorites, but the lack of screen time they’re getting is atrocious. And it’s not just them—characters like Lucas (who has unfortunately been reduced to just being Max’s boyfriend), Joyce, and Hopper all had solid storylines in previous seasons, but now they feel completely sidelined. I do think Holly’s actress is very talented, but she didn't need to take center stage in the final season. There are plenty of existing characters who could have taken over her storyline, which would have actually added some much-needed depth to their own arcs. There was no need for Karen to have a 'heroic moment' because she isn't a main character, and honestly, it doesn't even make sense. She was on the verge of death, and now all of a sudden she’s up, walking and talking?

Sam

The way they’ve forced characters to the front like Robin (who is just completely obnoxious and unfunny) at the expense of the original cast is a crime

ninie

This is sooo true. I’m glad Lucas has more screen time to be honest, but he’s one of the fews that never had a “solo” arc with some inner conflict. Amazing character, but he really just is Max’s character. Karen saving the day with the Demodogs is screaming extreme plot armor where they needed somehow to find an original way for them to be magically saved other than El.

ninie

I miss pre lobotomy Robin now she’s just cringe

ninie

Right the plot armor is simply annoying, there’s no stakes at all. If we all know they’re surviving every situation, what’s the point ? It also takes a lot of depth away.

ninie

I agree with all except Byler. Some of the “signs ” you guys saw were just over interpretation and it was clear as day they were never going to be a thing. I do think Will’s love was really deep tho, but i don’t think the concept itself was gonna be achieved.

Lauryn

So I don’t think this season is like super duper terrible but I think a main part of the problem is that Stranger Things has always had corny and cringey dialogue since season 1. The issue is it worked when they were kids but not when everybody is older. And the writers of the show never changed/adjusted the writing for their ages so it just sounds especially bad. Just my personal opinion. And they are also trying to focus on too many things and characters. At the end of the day, the focus should be on Lucas, Will, Mike, and Dustin because that’s how it all started. But they didn’t really go in on any of their trauma etc. but I’m going to see how the finale goes.

Whyrie

I did too 😅🫣

jed d'angelo

“Guys you won’t believe this but they came through” Yeah Lucas I don’t believe it especially when you say that right before you give the information out. Who tf wrote that dialogue like bruh that actually pissed me off.

Rae

this ep is the worst one this season 4x07 still top

Sam

At this point you have people who look 43 speaking like they’re 12 and it really doesn’t mesh

ninie

there’s a lot of questions unanswered during this watch but my first one is where is Elle??

jed d'angelo

I made a long comment but deleted it. Not worth the effort for this season. Overall - 5 or 6 for the season. Acting - 4. Dialogue - 2. Set design - 8. Costume - 5. Cast (new) - 5. Plot is difficult cause some parts are great and others are horrendous. Probs a 6. For sure the worst season by far not even a debate. We got a GOT contender here folks. Taking gold and turning it to trash just to get the show done and over with. This show needed a sixth season in the way GOT needed another 3.

hayden 💟

Will not getting with mike is not my main issue it is a big one for sure but that’s not what i’m upset about because I knew the chances of that happening in a show as big as stranger things weren’t the highest, what im upset about is the way they handled it. If that was the point the whole time why wait until the last season?? why even show will in volume 1 having hope and asking robin about the signs?? or robin telling will that whole signals and avalanche thing?? If they were gonna do that why not leave it off as it was in season 4?? where at that point will accepted it already?? instead they show him being hopeful in volume one and even flirt with mike?? and don’t even get me started on the coming out scene…and to your point on “there was no queer baiting because the fandom and ship was created purely by you guys. not the show runners” is absolute bullshit i’m sorry there is literally no denying that. why have that scene at rink o mania after his and wills fight play the song “in the closet” as they show his face or him constantly glancing at wills lips?? why have him have scenes with him and will have more romantic tension then him and el?? why have that whole crazy together thing in season 2?? why have him awkwardly hug will in season 4?? why have him standing infront of the closet of WILLS empty bedroom while el kisses him and he just stands there not reciprocating at all and have him look like that after?? why have the actors not confirm that they aren’t together and instead drag it?? even shawn levy was replying to tweets about byler…they had so many chances to just come upfront and say that it will never happen and did they??? no. These are just a few in MANY instances in which if not happening are indeed queer bait. i’m not saying the show revolves around romantic partners however, it still is a major plot point throughout the show and i’m not gonna act like it’s not important. mike and will not happening was one thing but they could have had made the volume amazing if they didn’t completely ruin everything else aswell.

maite˙⋆✮

completely agree couldn’t have said it any better!

🖤

I liked it too!

christina

Idk i personally think they did vol 2 pretty well. We found out where dimension x/the abyss is, what vecna's plan is and what the vessels are for, had jancy finally air out their issues, love triangle has been put to rest thank god, will has opened up and been accepted by his loved ones and himself and overcame his fears (of being abandoned) so that vecna can't use it against him, dustin is opening up and finally dealing with his grief over eddie, max is back 🎉, karen is a badass and ted is consistent(?), we found out the upside down isn't another dimension but a wormhole connecting two worlds, the squad knows how to open up access to the hivemind for will to get to vecna directly and we finally know what the deal is with the military and the lab. A lot of it did feel drawn out to me but we did get A LOT of new lore before the finale. I have hope it's gonna be good! 🤞🏻

Whyrie

I wish El would’ve just did the neck snap to Dr Kay when they were like…. Right there starring each other down 🫠

Carter D. Andrus

Seems like my hot take wasn’t too hot after all😂😂

Peaches

Volume 2 completely lost the plot. This episode is by far the worst of the entire series in my opinion. I hated it so bad. why we spending half the episode on will coming out with everyone when the world is literally ending in less than 24hrs? Telling Joyce and Johnathan would’ve been it. It was so dragged out for no reason. Max been sleep for two years and no one same to have emotions when she woke up except for “welcome back” “holy shit” etc. Kali working my nerves every time she appears on screen and her storyline I don’t care for, shes not to be trusted. Holly and max storyline took over the entire volume two and not in a good way, I was genuinely bored after spending so much time focusing on escaping camazotz. I’m just disappointed. Hopefully the finale makes up for it cause this is easily my least favorite season. Idk I was on such a high from volume 1 and now I’m at an all time LOW going into the finale.

Tivy

“You guys complain about everything” / “it’s not that deep” / “nobody’s forcing you to watch” — okay, but do you hear how that sounds? It’s just a way to shut down conversation. Critiquing a show isn’t being negative, it’s literally engaging with it. Stranger Things has always been the kind of series people analyze, debate, and pick apart. Acting like that’s suddenly weird now is cringe and an excuse. Truthfully, vol 2 just wasn’t that good. The show is still great overall, but it had obvious flaws and people are allowed to say that without getting told to “just stop watching.” If I wanted to watch something where I could just turn my mind off and not care, I’d be watching a corny sitcom or something. Not a show that’s built on tension, theme, and characters.

Sam

May I be forgiven for wanting the writing in my entertainment to be good lol

Datta

It was okay i understand everyone’s criticisms tho. I guess i’m indifferent to it partly because of how long this show has taken from s1 till now lol I just need Steve, Dustin, Lucas and Max to live and i’m fine with however this ends

Tivy

EXACTLY. “Bro just enjoy it” like omg we are losing the plot if I can’t even criticize the media I consume anymore like 😭

ninie

like girl it’s NOT time to serve face rn 😭

ninie

Thank you for answering !!

ninie

You guys mimicking them everytime they start their theories dialogue the same exact goofy way is hilarious

ninie

Also saying “just stop watching” is stupid. How do I know if i’m gonna like it if i don’t watch it ?

🖤

Real like just snap her neck and get it over with problem solved😭

ninie

Bro don’t even get me started on the coming out 😭. Noah said something about how pressuring it was and how he was blocked out from everyone. Apparently this is the scene that took the longest to write, and honestly it was disappointing. Why is he coming out to the entire cast ? You’re telling me Murry, Vickie, Mr. Clarke and 008 had to be there???

HrlIEJB

i really don’t think season 5 is as bad as everyone’s complaining about, i think a lot of people are forgetting that 1. this is basically a DND campaign turned tv show. and even more so i think there was so many theories being thrown around that a lot of people are disappointed that what they wanted isn’t happening whether it’s with byler or plot points. At some point it feels like some people are watching to find something to complain about and not to just watch because ive seen so many people dumb down important scenes to make it into something negative

Tyler

What are we thinking as bad or worse than the Game of Thrones final stretch?

Tivy

One thing I did like in this half was the Upside Down explanation. Framing it as a wormhole between two worlds based on the Einstein-Rosen bridge was interesting. I love when something that feels supernatural gets grounded in science like that, and I think the way they explained it worked really well. That said… I wasn’t exactly shocked by the reveal. A lot of people have been theorizing it for years, so when it was confirmed I was more like ‘oh, okay’ rather than ‘oh wow’. Especially considering this is the culmination of a decade long story, I guess I was expecting something a little more revelatory. I’m really hoping the finale expands on this, especially with the Mind Flayer and how everything connects, because this volume felt a little lackluster to me. That said, I’m still holding onto the possibility that they’re saving stuff for a great finale, especially with how much the cast has hyped it up.

McKay Carter

Worse because it was worse, but better because I cared more about got so it hurt less lol

shelby

why is this so ass

Tyler

I don’t know man if I’m eleven and my options are a spend the rest of my days with this robotic emotionless version of Mike or die with my “sister” I’m letting the wormhole take me

Mixxie

YESSS!!! Like atp people just want their insert put into the show

Tyler

Yeah thinking about it after hearing what he has said so far it makes me sick to think the panic attack we saw was not just acting like that’s fucking horrible, I would never want to relive having to come out the first time again never mind on a loop in front of a group of people

Nicholas R. Gonzales

This season has a lot of problems, but ultimately I enjoyed it because I knew what to expect going in. I don’t think the writing quality is very different from seasons 2-4. A lot of the stuff people are complaining about has been around since season 2. I’m not quite sure why it’s vol 2 of this season specifically that’s getting so much backlash. Maybe expectations were set too high? I’m not trying to say vol 2 was perfect (definitely not) but the issues it has (and it has plenty) aren’t new. I still enjoyed it tho. Hope the finale can stick the landing

Lauryn

I will say, I did like the wormhole stuff, I thought that was actually pretty cool!!

pineapplegreg

That alone made this episode worth watching! 🤣 Mary got what she deserved!!!

Kadence

love ur pfp

A.B

no shot lol GoT completely ruined all their characters whereas ST was just mid writing

ninie

LMAOO

Seth Aasland

Will’s coming out scene was… disappointing, to say the least, for me personally. It should’ve been more intimate with fewer people, maybe just Joyce, Jonathan, and Mike, since Will’s crush is Mike. Coming out is a terrifying, but also very important, thing to do, and should’ve been handled with more care in my opinion. Also to add on, I think Noah did an awesome job with the acting personally despite my disappointment. His acting in that scene was the silver lining for me. I just wish it felt more natural. I wish it was something that Will had the choice to do on his own time, on his own terms. I don’t like that Will’s sexuality was treated as this dark and terrible secret that he felt he had no other choice but to announce to a bigger group of people. I had to detox a little by watching the season 1 finale of Heated Rivalry (which everyone should check out, because it is such a beautifully written story)

OpMan

the fact that we waited this long and its not as good as season 4 is dissapointing tbh

Sam

Correct ranking

Ryan Vybz

Season 4 is terrible the show gets worse each season

Caroline

I personally think vol1 was far better then vol2 but i dont think it is as bad as people say. There was some good moments and some much needed scenes. I think they could have done a lot of it in just 2 episodes, then have ep 7 be about the fight and then have the ep end on a cliffhanger before the final episode. I loved the scene with Will and him coming out! I am glad that they finally showed everyone that Mike is Will's Tammy. Will deserves someone better! The one big thing i dont like is what they did with Kali(008). Why bring her back to make people hate her even more?? The one person that deserves to live is El and i hate this stupid packed they have now. I hope the finale episode brings everything together nicely, even thought i dont think any show i have ever watched has been able to do that.. Also these episodes shows me that Steve will not die! Its been talked about to much at this point and having Dustin break down like that made it even more clear that Steve will not die! Which is perfect for me haha

Seth Aasland

This is such an immature position to take. People are allowed to say they don’t like it if that’s how they feel about it. “How dare people have an opinion that’s different than mine!”

Richie Sour

Season is ass, it’s a shame

T.Yaseen

IMO I don't think Volume 2 is that bad, I liked Dustin and Steve scenes, jonathan and Nancy too.but yeah episode 7 is definitely the weakest but i'm happy that Max is finally back.

Bri-Ana Monique

You guys keep saying “this is unrealistic” as if this whole show isn’t literally unrealistic 😂😂

mk

Season ranking from best to worst: 4, 1, 2, 3 I find it hard to put season 5 in there - it has a lot of very great moments (Ep. 4) and a lot of very meh moments. Not a big fan of the Marvel-humor (was a big problem in Season 3 as well imo, much better in Season 4; S5 is much lighter in tone in most of the moments), partially mediocre acting, and the uncohesive writing (especially who is grouped with and interacts with who). Also we did not need another bad-ass Mrs. Wheeler moment; a bit too unbelievable and just takes away from her moment that got her in the hospital in the first place. The point Kali makes (El sacrificing herself to ensure no more children with powers) is actually very valid and interesting, the way it is presented by her character feels clunky though. It could work, but I think we are missing a proper emotional connection to Kali and her pain she suffered through the last weeks. The military and Dr. K is also a big meh. She is so comically evil atm, just boring. I guess the point is to show that even after defeating Vecna "the world" would try to abuse the powers of El and her siblings? Also I think a character dying would have been good. We did not really have any kind of loss in Vol 2. But let's not get too negative. I think the season is overall very enjoyable. Gaten-Steve interactions and acting are great, Caleb-Max interactions as well. I'm interested to see how they will end it.

Tyler

Speaking of marvel humor is anyone else sick of Murray at this point? Hes so one note and I could care less if he’s a casualty in the finale

Tyler

But that’s such an important piece to good worldbuilding is creating a set of rules and following them to keep the show grounded despite supernatural or sci fi elements existing, like in Star Wars there are rules to how the force works that stay pretty consistent, but in this show the strength of the demogorgons can vary episode to episode, suddenly breathing in upside down spores is okay and doesn’t make everyone cough, gates just appear out of nowhere for plot convenience it’s just poor writing

Tyler

I would give anything for the Geks to watch Heated Rivarly I don’t think they have watched a piece of queer media like that before I would love to see what they think of it compared to Will’s poorly constructed storyline

ninie

Unrealistic within their universe..

Seth Aasland

Totally 10000% agree with you. It’s the way I haven’t been able to stop thinking about that show. Every episode I was smiling ear-to-ear in a way that I haven’t with any other show. It’s also very short too so it’s perfect. And I also agree with you on Will, it makes me so angry, he deserves better

ninie

As if this show wasn’t about outcasts since season 1 lmao

ninie

Not implying they’re homophobic or anything but they’re Mormons, I don’t know if they’ll be THIS open minded 😭

alexis ♡︎

haven’t watched any reactions yet cus i’ve been at work 🥲 but here’s my ranking of the seasons: 🥇 season 1 🥈 season 2 🥉 season 4 and last place is a tie between seasons 3 and 5 so far.. season 5 with a slight edge just because of certain developments (max being back and will aura farming is carrying)

Bri-Ana Monique

Vecna saving Holly’s life really gave me mixed emotions because I was like Thank GOD, but also in shambles she didn’t get away😭😭

mk

Will's sexuality and his corresponding emotions made the first part of S5 and especially S5E4 so great. Connecting real-life emotions to a fantasy world makes it more immersive. Thinking the issues with S5 Vol. 2 stem from "Wokeness" is a sign of media illiteracy imo :/

Tyler

The original premise of this show was designed for it to be for outcasts and misfits who don’t fit into societal “norms” if you hate that so much just go watch conservative art (which doesn’t exist because conservatives can’t create good art)

mk

"r**** gay slop with bad writing and an agenda" america is cooked, how are you people real? lol

Tyler

I’m not sure I agree I thought Carter gave a very poignant and thoughtful response to Will’s coming out scene and since I started watching them they seem to have really broadened their views similar to the boys over at Blind Wave if you’ve ever watched them, I think that’s one of the biggest positives for reactors is being exposed to so much media you otherwise never would have interacted with and having your worldview grow as a result. With that said yeah it probably is too “spicy” compared to their typical content I agree

Seth Aasland

To be fair though, they are open-minded from what it seems. As Tyler pointed out Carter gave a very thoughtful and heart-warming opinion on Will’s coming out. Plus, they’ve watched shows that have things like nudity and sex before, such as Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon. Also, the show has hockey in it. Hockey is awesome! And I agree that just because someone is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints doesn’t mean they’re homophobic, or that they’ll think poorly or lowly about a show like Heated Rivalry because of the show featuring prominently queer characters. And also yes the show has a lot of steamy content, which can be uncomfortable for people to watch sometimes, but it’s also a show about love, and the high points of the show are so beautiful and touching, it really moved me.

ninie

I used to like him as a comedic relief but now I’m just tired of him

ninie

I’m not blind. Calling it “woke bs” when it’s just representation of outcasts and people who are misunderstood and marginalized in our society is insensitive. Wanting people to be represented is not necessarily woke, especially since the show takes place in the 80s where the majority of the population was homophobic or racist. Having minorities be the lead of a show that takes place in a context like this is important and impactful.

NC

Totally agree with this! It honestly didn’t make a lot of sense to me the way that it happened. We’ve known his character was gay for a long time, and that he was coming to terms with it himself, and his whole arc this season has been about self acceptance and self empowerment. Vecna using his fears about coming out to terrify him sure could make sense narratively, but we really didn’t FEEL any of the stakes around that because we’d just gone on a whole journey of Will being empowered in his self acceptance (volume I). If his character arc needed to regress back into insecurity and fear given the thought of other’s knowing about his sexuality, which honestly reasonable given we’re in the 80s, I wish we had spent more time experiencing/FEELING the internal struggle Will was having after his encounter with Vecna. We were just TOLD what Vecna showed him and how it scared him, I think it would have been more powerful for the audience to have been SHOWN a little more so that Will’s decision to come out would have felt like a naturally driven character choice, rather than just a plot point. It felt disingenuous for a huge crowd to be around when he came out. Granted, everyone has different preferences when it comes to how they want to come out, but it felt like the writers wanted a spectacle. It just felt like they used the character to make a “moment” for the story, rather than writing this moment in service of the character. Heated Rivalry is fantastic. The acting, the writing, the cinematography is all so good. The juxtaposition of ST with the HR finale was honestly wild. The way HR handles the struggles of being closeted, while also celebrating queer love in such a raw and honest way is beautiful. The finale was cathartic in all the best ways, and honestly it gives me hope for a lot of things.

🖤

real😭

Seth Aasland

It’s actually very sad that you think this way. I’m not even angry when I’m reading your words, just very sad that this is your outlook, your perspective. That or you’re just a rage baiter. Regardless of the reason, sad.

NC

I could also see the fact that episode 5 is #2 on highest rated episodes on IMDB (with I’m sure the finale to soon overtake it) piquing their interest—since they frequently look up ratings/are excited to try new shows that are highly rated on IMDB. Also, they are always so stoked when romance and slice of life comes up in the anime shows they watch 😂

Nyx

I never thought these words would would come out of my mouth Season 3 is no longer the worst season Season 5: Mess and Cringe

Seth Aasland

YESSS I thought that too, since they mention that they base a lot of what they watch on IMDB. It’s stoking the flame of hope in me

Nyx

Neither can progressives as seen in modern Hollywood they hijack and subvert

John Paul

Roleplex I’m sorry to break it to you but not everyone consumes media with their brains turned off…

Nyx

THEY DONT CARE ABOUT THEIR OWN FATHER not once did they say anything about Ted instead when get another scene of Karen somehow being able to walk around and carry oxygen tanks and then be able to sneak past the DAMN D-dogs and put the tank in the washer or whatever without making a SOUND

Nyx

And thats one of the biggest problems there is no tension because you know whatever character is in a dangerous position something stupid is going to save them there's no stakes

Nyx

Yessss amd some of you guys might not see it or like but they had no idea how to finish this and made it up on the fly and to make the agenda built around it Will WE GET YOU'RE GAY everyone from the viewers to the characters knew it from season 1 when Joyce tell Hopper that Lonnie calls him a f***** and a queer or when Mike literally tells Will we get it "you don't like girls" and then we get Robin and Will scenes OMG shut up the world is ending

Nyx

It's because they had no idea how to finish this making this from a magic all powerful entity to a freaking black hole OMG where is the mindflayer

Alejø

Nice homophobia bro , the 1940s are calling you home.

Alejø

Nvm so you’re just a POS . Got it. It’s a shame that there are good people connected to machines fighting to be able to breath on their own , and yet here you are with perfectly good lungs and oxygen wasted on you.

TINA

Hopper was being way too harsh on a literal child, saying he would kill her is crazy and too aggressive honestly. I get that no one wants Eleven to die, but at the end of the day Kali is right. She’s truly the only one out of the crew that understands Eleven and what she has been through and how things are for them in general. It’s really weird how she’s painted like a villain when she’s just being realistic and making Eleven see reality, even though reality is sometimes hard to admit but Hoppers making it seem like Kali is getting in Elevens head and brain washing her. He’s the one lying to Eleven and himself. I don’t want Eleven to die but at the end of the day the government will always be looking for her and she will be on the run the rest of her life. If she chooses to do that that’s fine, realistically she will eventually get caught. The crew has been very lucky so far, but eventually that luck will run out and they will not be able to hide and protect Eleven forever, and it’s likely they will be killed for standing in the way of the government from getting to Eleven. In reality they’re not going to have their happy fairytale ending like Hopper and Mike thinks. That is if this show continues to be realistic…but I guess it’s possible to make a deal with the government to work with her which gives her power, as long as they keep their ends of the deal and not go against to her wishes like the Dr Brenner and Dr Owen’s scenario. Or maybe Kali and El can live in their own world

Melissa

totally agree :-(

Melissa

it makes me so saddddd ughhh

S Moonchild⁷

I asked my gay friend what he thought of coming out scene and he said the scene was good, but a bit not fitting the plot and there were many unnecessary people there like Kali, Murray, physics teacher. I really thought Will will give important info from the First Shadow play, like smt about Henry knowing Joyce or him liking Bob's sister. They have to develop Henry's character, he can't be just evil, give him depth cmoon. p.s. those kids don't deserve to be saved after attack on Holly, not her best friend choking her.

S Moonchild⁷

totally agree, some flaws people mention existed since since 1-2. Cringy dialogue included.

TINA

Robin’s comment about Steve was so weird and out of place and made no sense, also Max taking forever to run back to her body was annoying, when she missed the first few times you would have thought she’d make a dash this time 😭, Steve and the team were being too harsh and unempathic to Dustin, like I get Steve’s point but he was being too mean. Max could have had more of a welcome back, like why not have Erica run and hug her when she saw her. Lastly, when Will was talking to his mom they made it seem so ominous like Will had done something terrible or had a dark secret, but it was literally just that he was gay, which yeah not downplaying it but why’d they make it seem like it was such this bad thing and like everyone needed to know. With all they’ve been through and are going through that’s like the least important and surprising thing. It was a great emotional scene, but it could have been done differently. But overall I don’t hate the episodes or the season, I still very much enjoyed it and still love the show. I’m still wondering what was the kryptonite that was hurting Eleven and stopped her from using her powers? Is it also Kali’s kryptonite and Henry’s too? Why can’t or won’t Henry go inside that cave? What was the whole story of that memory from young Henry and what was inside that case?

Teri M

I think a lot of people who watch this are too young to know that in the 80s, being gay was taboo and had a huge stigma attached to it. Will knew early on that he wasn't interested in girls like his friends were. He was terrified to tell anyone because he didn't want to lose them. Vecna was exploiting that fear and so Will coming out to everyone makes sense because then Vecna had nothing to hold over him. The only ones I see not getting that are those too young to know or remember how people viewed gay people back then.

Teri M

Nah, you're just a bigot

Booger

Cannon’s face changing everytime he hears “demo” 😭

Booger

I forget Jonathan is related to joyce lmao they almost never interact anymore

Booger

I swear will and joyce had like 10 conversations with just them two like it gets to a point 💀 and absolutely nothing with Jonathan as always

ninie

“Why is El like a side character now” THANK YOU MCKAY

ninie

Bro they couldn't even kill off that annoying fuck ass soldier are we serious rn

xSaorix

This show was never gold lol

ninie

Saw someone say on Twitter they wished Jonathan died in that room so Joyce could finally remember she had another son 😭

Booger

She’d probably realize two months later 🤦‍♀️

by cathyy_

your life so miserable that your hating on a fictional character, i guess your parents are so tired of your ass....goodluck in the future with that incel mindset of yours

No Tap

Season 3 at least had soul and substance. Pure summer Americana vibes. This is just pure normie slop.

shelby

Thank you 🥹

No Tap

No one wants to watch that pornography

Major

I bought theater tickets and now I’m a little nervous I did cause volume 2 is 😬😬😬🫤🫤🫤

Seth Aasland

Reducing the show to “pornography” is such an utter disgrace to all the people that poured their hearts and souls into producing such a wonderful show that has had such a positive impact on so many. A show that motivates and inspires people to not be so afraid of who they are, to be able to love themselves and feel comfortable in their own skin. Would you say the same thing about other shows that have the same level of “spicy” content? Or are you only singling out this one show because of the *obvious* reason? Also, “no one” wants to watch it? IMDB begs to differ: Episode 1: 9.4/10 (21k) Episode 2: 9.5/10 (21k) Episode 3: 9.4/10 (21k) Episode 4: 9.6/10 (21k) Episode 5: 9.9/10 (47k) Episode 6: 9.9/10 (20k) And if you don’t believe me, the internet is free 🤷‍♂️ Lousy attempt at rage baiting honestly. You could’ve tried a little harder than that, I’m disappointed if anything.

Dre

@terrorsquad you are such a fragile loser

celery

Horrible ragebait

icedancer

im expecting a game of thrones ending lol

Kim 555

That was the most humiliating depiction of a coming out scene in tv history 😭 WHY IS EVERYONE THERE?? A shy kid in the 80s coming out to Murray, Erica, Nancy, Kali, Steve, and Vickie? Like I'll give Vickie a pass because she's Robin's gf but the rest??? HE DON'T KNOW YOU LIKE THAT. No wonder Noah Schnapp said that it felt like he's performing in a play and was nervous af doing that scene. It should've been his mom, Jonathan, the 3/4 of the core four, Max, and El. This was such a badly written coming out scene, no intimacy whatsoever.

josie

This episode is not as bad as the fans are making it out to be. It's only "bad" because it's the penultimate episode to the series finale. I was expecting way bigger and some crazy cliffhanger. Excited for the finale, but just hope it's not rushed.

josie

While I don't disagree, the only reason he came out to everybody was so Vecna wouldn't have anything on him. He didn't want his secret to be hidden and exposed to anyone else.

josie

I mean he literally tells the audience he wants everyone to know his secret so Vecna can't expose or weaken him. That's why everyone is there. But Vickie, Kali, and Murray for sure don't need to be there.

Tyler

Love your pfp

Kim 555

1:05:44 Cannon I fear that Will didn't tell all of his secrets, yes he came out to all of them and said that he has a crush on someone but kept it vague. I feel like Vecna could use that against him somehow. I think the Duffers confirmed that Mike knows that he was the "crush" and said his face was supposed to show you that he figured it out. All this aside they haven't addressed the painting lie that was followed by a veiled confession from Will in the van, that speech in the van parallels the coming out speech A LOT. I was really hoping for the plotline that Mike has been closeted too and hiding his emotions towards Will, but I don't think that's the route that they'll be taking. That route would've explained a lot of Mike's behaviors in early seasons and season 4 specifically. I mean there is a small chance for that to still be a "plot twist" but I wouldn't like that personally, it would leave such a bad taste in my mouth after all this shit writing. I also didn't like Will addressing Mike as "just my Tammy," someone who was a mere hallway crush that Robin didn't even know personally. It could be a metaphor for projecting your emotional stability on someone, but it still feels weird to see Mike described as a Tammy. The first scene of Stranger Things ever was Mike and Will establishing how special their relationship was, how Will would never lie to Mike. Then the entirety of season one was about how bad Mike was trying to find Will, even after seeing that fake dead body he didn't believe it. After that dead body, they highlighted only Mike's reaction when he hugged his mom with a romantic song playing, a cover of Heroes by David Bowie which doesn't fit the scenario. Then season 2 was the peak of their closeness, Mike skipped school to go check in on him and slept next to him multiple times. In the season 2 finale, Will was originally scripted to stare at Mike longingly as he was dancing with a random girl himself. Season 3 was when Will got sidelined because Mike was spending too much time with El, in the original script Will was supposed to imagine Mike and Eleven together while destroying castle Byers. Then season 4 is when their relationship was awkward, until Mike stepped up and fixed it. Now suddenly in season 5 Mike just acts like their relationship was nothing? He was just a "crush"? This is either a set up for a plot twist or caca out of the ass. That is not good writing.

Kim 555

yup, also Erica, Steve, Robin, Vickie, and maybe Hopper (step-dad). I just don't see why Will had to come out to them, he doesn't know them like that for him to be worried about their acceptance. I excluded Robin and Vickie because they probably already know and just got to know him.

Kim 555

52:03 It's funny you say that McKay. In the original script for S2, it was supposed to be Will who kills Bob but they changed it because they didn't want his character to be hated.

rowie | hyuka bias :3

honestly loved the coming out scene, i felt heartbroken seeing everyone hate it T_T we have diff tastes i guess ! but i was rolling around in tears while watching, i genuinely loved it. i love that will is loved by everyone and its just refreshing to see this season .. </3 i think some fans are expecting a bit too much from this season esp with byler and will. i love that it is a bit more realistic to be unrequited even tho i loved byler as a concept. i also hope a main character dies to make it interesting, but i doubt it will be El. I am thinking Dustin, Steve or Will idk.

alee

hmmMMm, going to need to cleanse my palate w/ heated rivalry and a rewatch of stranger things s1 to remind myself of all the things this show initially got right .... eventually

Elias

Don't bother explaining, people have already made up their minds. They can't see beyond the length of their nose.

DonDuh103

It does give off a GOT ending vibe but its not as bad only cause GOT was so much better! They definitely should have kill a character or 2 and most definitely kill all theses rando season 5 side characters! Also fake edging us with like One Piece deaths kinda annoying! last 3 ep are sitting at a Low 7.0-mid 7.5? Thanks for yalls grind on getting theses out so quick since the holidays and family Merry Christmas!

Jessica

YESSSSS im so mad this should be more about el and now will and they should team up, But feels like the new kids are getting way too much screen time and holly being the star it’s infuriating

.Koen

I’m so tired of the snarky, quips, sarcasm and awful comic-relief that shows up in every other sentence nowadays in so much of modern media. Everyone is so afraid to be earnest and genuine nowadays, we need everything covered in layers of irony for fear of being perceived as cringe. To be fair to the show there were some good moments this volume, I liked Nancy’s and Jonathans un-proposal and Steve and Dustin’s reconciliation. I don’t think it quite makes up for all the other plot-holey stuff (Vecna snatching Holly out of mid-air for one) but still. As someone who had his own coming out once upon a time I felt like the scene with Will was well done. For me, it wasn’t so much that I wanted to come out but that I felt like I was drowning or suffocating under the weight of a secret that just felt like it was getting bigger every year and I couldn’t imagine a future for myself until it was gone. I think they did a good job of showing that desperation while at the same time facing that intense fear of rejection, that fear that you may lose the people you love and that at the end of it all you’ll be alone in the world. In some sense I even think the show was kind to Will because I wonder if it really would have gone over this well in a rural town in the 80s but then again constant threats to your life and existence can also put into perspective the things that really matter in life. Anyway, I found it quite moving and relatable.

Sam TV

Give it a rest

sofi ✿

For anyone who is genuinely open to listening and wondering why so many people (non-homophobes) had a problem with the coming out scene, I’ll give you my fifty-cent opinion as a queer person who, even growing up in a more progressive era, comes from a very conservative household that mirrors a lot of 80s attitudes. Let’s start with the context in which it happens. Will doesn’t come out because he feels safe; he comes out because he’s afraid his sexuality will be weaponized against him. This closely mirrors real-life trauma of being outed or pressured to come out. I know a lot of people are saying this was “necessary” so he could defeat Vecna, and okay, let’s take that argument as true. Then this isn’t a coming-out scene; it’s a survival response. And if that’s the case, show how tragic it is. Make it intimate, make it sad, make the audience understand how fucked up this actually is, instead of framing it as “empowering.” That’s what they tried to do, but it doesn’t land either. And one of the reasons is the whole “you won’t lose me / and me / and me” moment. It centers the comfort of others and turns Will’s vulnerability into a feel-good beat (and a pretty cringe one that’s already being mocked on TikTok). And Noah, who’s gay, has talked about raising concerns over the scene not working and having those concerns dismissed. I also loved how McKay joked about Will confessing to killing Bob, because I felt the same way lol! The scene is initially framed like Will is about to confess some huge crime… my boy was just going to say he likes men. The dramatic music and direction choices are… odd. And since people love to bring up realism when defending how much humiliation this character has to go through, let’s talk about it. In the 80s, especially during the AIDS crisis, Will comes out for the first time in front of 14 people, two of whom he has never met, and several others he’s barely interacted with. It feels like a spectacle instead of something intimate, with no emotional groundwork at all. And if that wasn’t enough, he also confesses his feelings for Mike (now being called a “crush” by the writers, as if they didn’t write Will pining for him for years) in front of all of them (to be fair, I think Mike is the only one who understands, but it doesn’t make it any better). Which brings me to the next problem: they also make Will’s coming out about Mike. I honestly have no idea where the writing is going with this Will–Mike–El dynamic, because it feels inconsistent and messy, but regardless of who Mike ends up with (if he ends up with anyone at all), why is Will’s self-discovery/acceptance journey still being centered around him? Especially when the writers themselves said in Vol. 1 that it was supposed to be about Will, not anyone else. Mike’s reaction doesn’t help either. This is his supposed best friend, the same character who, in season one, confronted bullies for calling Will homophobic slurs in front of the whole school, yet here, he can’t even look at him, isn’t the first friend to go to him, and is the only one not touching him. And Will, almost apologetically, reassures Mike for daring to have feelings, saying he knows Mike is “not like him.” That’s a terrible message. It frames queer love as a burden to others; something you have to soften, minimize, and apologize for. All while Will is panicking and crying from fear. Because once again, Will is the character that has to swallow his emotions and suffer, because he wants to be able to save everyone from Vecna, while just receiving narrative punishment, as he’s never rewarded with the same love. Instead, he gets blank stares and terrible reactions (thank God for Jonathan in that scene) and a Disney-worthy hug. Narratively, it also makes very little sense. Episode 4 finally gives Will some confidence and agency, and then volume two immediately takes it away, pushing him back into self-loathing and shame. We’re told this regression is caused by something Vecna showed him that was so devastating, but we never actually get to see it, so it doesn’t feel earned. And regardless of intent, this is the effect the scene had: I watched this episode with straight, conservative family members (not much a choice I had), and it reinforced exactly the kind of stigma queer people already deal with. It wasn’t empowering; it was embarrassing. (I’m not talking about my opinion, but overall audience perception.) The show isn’t over, and maybe the finale will recontextualize some of this, but I honestly don’t see how it could undo all the damage already done here.

Kim 555

fuck off, genuinely. Literally not talking to you

Kim 555

THANK YOU!! and the fact that Lucas and Dustin got up to hug and comfort Will before Mike is crazy. What the fuck happened to Mike? They were the closest and he isn't the first to get up? Like ummmm.... okay. I hope you're right and they're not ending this with "he's just a Tammy" and not addressing their relationship at all. The veiled confession that literally parallels this coming out scene, and the painting lie. Mike has to confront Will about it, otherwise it would feel very bleak.

Janina

Terrible acting from most of the casts.

jrnoodles

Thanks! This season is not bad, but it comes off as "we need to tie in everything, but don't really know how"

TheSauceGuy

Certainly not a perfect season lol, but I'm glad they added some more DnD references like the Abyss.

Luffers

This is always the lamest excuse for bad writing. Just because Harry Potter can fly on a broom stick, doesn't mean he can start shooting lasers out of eyes with no explanation.

No Tap

antisemitic

Mufufu

Only season 1 was good

No Tap

It’s so obvious Vol 2 was just the Duffers dragging their feet to try and get butts in seats at the movie theater for the finale.

Elias

The show suffered from having too many characters and too few episodes. Filler episodes are important for storytelling, and I feel like streaming services have destroyed proper storytelling by going from 20-22 episodes down to 8-9 a season, and then forcing us to wait several years for another season. It just doesn't work unless you're binging it all at once.

pineapplegreg

Exactly this!!! Very well said Sofi, Thank you!!

❣️ Vladlena ❣️

3:01 — “They have to get married now” – 100%, Cannon! In ten years or so, definitely! “I just needed you” — it really hit the whole audience, I think! “Max is gonna fix the plot” 🤣🤣🤣

❣️ Vladlena ❣️

If I were in Holly’s place, even if I eventually managed to get out, I’d have severe psychological trauma for the rest of my life if I woke up with that thing in my mouth 🙈 She and Will could now start a Vecna Victims Support Club! Because this is clearly a metaphor for sexual abuse of children. In a way, Vecha is kind of a pedophile!

❣️ Vladlena ❣️

20:06 – “Why is El just a side character now?” – this is the real question, Mckay! I think many of us noticed that and can’t comprehend why. 26:06 – “It’s a kind of woman I want” – that was crazy! But noted, Mckay 📝 We heard you! The “Back to the light” mantra cracked me up too 😅😅😅 Henry created his own little cult! Robin’s joke, “Steve hears that all the time and goes in anyway,” was so inappropriate and cringe! I loved Mckay and Jack’s reaction to that at 34:26 hahaha. But Steve and his sweater were a really good fit!

❣️ Vladlena ❣️

46:41 – “We have to have a death” – I agree with Jack! I think if all the main characters stay alive, I would be kinda dissatisfied. Such a huge finale needs losses, even if it’s painful to watch!

❣️ Vladlena ❣️

Of course, the strongest scene for me was Will's coming out. I was hoping he would tell mum and Mike, but in the end, Will decided to tell everyone at once, kind of like ripping off a band-aid in one go, which, in some ways, might even be better (?). Well, definitely better for the character! I don’t understand why many people say it was awkward, as if that’s a bad thing! Wasn’t it supposed to be like that? Personally, I was so anxious and sweating as if I were coming out to my own family! I paused every ten seconds and had to breathe to calm myself down 😅 It’s really difficult! And the fact that some people call such important moments "cringe" raises questions about their emotional intelligence!

❣️ Vladlena ❣️

Will: “I need you to know the truth, Mum.”
McKay: “What? Did he kill Bob or something?”
Will: “I’m gay. Sorry, but that was so funny 🤣🤣🤣 Just like your later comment: “what are we talking about?” How did you not clock that he was about to come out?

❣️ Vladlena ❣️

Yes, if Mike doesn’t have internalized homophobia, I would be pissed off hard!!!

Peaches

I came back to add that part of the reason the plot lost itself is cause there just way too many unnecessary main characters. This show started with the core four boys and El and along the way they forgot that it needed to continue to centered around them but instead they started making side characters main characters and in the end so many storylines to squeeze in and lost the main one. It’s so disappointing. Like it’s ok to get rid of side characters at some point. There are LITERALLY 10 main characters with storylines I’ve checked out completely. They truly fumble this season. Ep 7 should have led us into the finale on a damn cliffhanger of at least one death and I’m like huh wrap it up asap. I’m disappointed in the duffers .

Dana

holly wheeler and her little frenemies have had entirely too much screen time. this is ridiculous. you can’t introduce her as a main character in the final season like this and think we care THAT much. i’m not invested in them kids. also do el and max even know each other? you could have fooled me with that triflin’ reunion. did max realize hop was now miraculously alive? she didn’t seem shocked. these are simple but very necessary details that are only a small part of the issue with volume 2 that they could have put in.

Dana

i forgot to add the nancy and jonathan scene where the liquid slop miraculously stopped melting in on them 🙄. yes, the acting was superb but that scene should have ended with one or both dying.

Dana

positive- lucas and max. she better marry that man after all this…absolutely 😂. he already got the through sickness and health part down and his loyalty is god tier.

Jessica

Thought they would die ngl and would be more impactful if they did

McKay Carter

Because I didn’t think the show would let him come out at such a weird time in the season/episode

❣️ Vladlena ❣️

I mean… it’s only final episode after, so it’s seem valid to do that before enter to Upside Down and try to end of all these. Maybe some of people don’t have to be in that room, but still… But your reaction was funny! I enjoyed it!

McKay Carter

Bran might become King in this finale idk

alee

this is such a thoughtful comment, thank you for putting this into words! agreex1000000 ♥️

icedancer

el might massacre Hawkins idk

Michael Velasquez

I loved that you guys understood that Will had t ocome out to not gave vecna any more ammo. A lot of people miss that point and classify the show /scene as forced inclusivity. I felt it was neccesarry for the character, he wants to face vecna without fears so that explains why he decided to come out to everyone at the same time, that way he doesnt has any doubts.

Tivy

This is so well said Sofi. I tried conveying it in a comment earlier but you explained it much better.

Max Kerill

i feel like becoming a pop culture phenomenon is kinda poisonous to a show like this, it gets too big for its own good GoT also

Nic ☦︎

No need to push ur dumbass liberal political agenda just because u got rage baited by someone…btw since conservatives are so bad at creating art I suggest you watch these, Lord Of The Rings which is made by J.R.R Tolkien (conservative), Band Of Brothers (one of the greatest tv shows ever made) and so much more so dont talk about things if you have no idea what your talking abt

Osiris704

I could see kali trying to off Eleven in the final episode as some kind of last resort. We know she loves Eleven but I think it’s more in line with the cutthroat mentality she had when she was first introduced into the show

Saki 🏴‍☠️✨❤️‍🔥

tbh ive always felt that stranger things has a weird habit of centering its romantic relationships at the expense of its platonic or even familial bonds at times, so when friends reunite with lackluster response im not especially surprised atp

Smart Guy

No lmao. "Atp", people just want good writing, acting, literally good anything. That's it. No excuse for this garbage of a season

Saki 🏴‍☠️✨❤️‍🔥

ngl i have a hard time imagining a very satisfying wrap on the series with only one episode to go, and i agree with everyone saying the cast has gotten way too bloated and main characters often feel more like side characters now :/ but at least im in the same boat as cannon where everyone saying bad things about it prior lowered my expectations to the point where it wasnt as bad as i feared, lol. tbh still enjoying it more than season 3, so theres that! i also see what carters saying about the repeating plotlines, but honestly ive felt similarly about that for much of the show, to the point where imo there were several season endings that kindve felt like /the/ end, but then they just bring in another big bad and start the same cycle again - and im saying that as someone whos not generally one to complain about extra seasons and content 🤧 that being said season 4 is still a strong contender for my favorite season, so its not all been downhill

Dana

respectfully i disagree. i think the show has been clear and obvious about friendship and family bonds more than the romantic relationships from jump. it starts off that way in the wheeler basement and stayed that way majority of the time sans season 3 moments when they kids got into relationships for the FIRST time and were experiencing new feelings/hormones etc,. i think certain fans have created this expectation and put major emphasis on the romantic relationships and it has gotten out of hand. i don’t know if it’s from lack of maturity or emotional intelligence but every deep relationship is not romantic. some comments on the internet show that viewers aren’t fully familiar with the concept. this show was meant to mimic the old 80’s shows/flicks of the same vein (ie: goonies, stand by me etc etc) which is why there are issues and confusion about those ties and the lack of response between friends and interactions in this season.

Arctic_stark

There's a lot thats already been said in the comments so I'll keep it short. The Geks have already spoken about the plot contrivances and quips so I wont go into that. I liked Volume 1 but Volume 2 has been poor, and so far this is the weakest season of the show for me. 1. Season 4 set up Season 5 as a big confrontation between Eleven and Henry and so far Eleven has been the eleventh most important character this season. She had so much buildup in season 4 and thats gone nowhere. 2. Its very weird to see so many of the characters being nonchalant about killing human beings. 3. Not sure how I feel about everyone casually strolling through the Upside-down. It used to be such a terrifying and mysterious place. 4. Hopper and Murray are just caricatures at this point. If Hopper puts on the Red Guardian costume for the season finale I wouldn't even be surprised.

Stephanos Stavrou

This season is an absolute disaster. From Eleven from being a protagonist to a guest star in the final season. Eleven's powers seems to have regressed even compare to Season 1!!! Now every time she uses her powers even for the most "easy" tasks her nose bleeds. The Will coming out scene didn't make sense for the time, place and people. Holly becomes the character with the most screen time in the final season despite having close to no screen time the last 4 seasons. Nancy and Jonathan break up for no reason whatsoever. No understands that they broke up and the showrunners have to explain it in an interview. Max and Eleven reunion meant nothing. The return of Kira from the worst story line of Stranger Things makes no sense. She doesn't advance the plot and advocates to Eleven to commit suicide or go away otherwise bad things will keep happening. Nancy is able to shot multiple military men exposed on top of the van without a single bullet even coming close to her. Also the demogordons easily kill people that we don't know but can't kill or even make damage to a single character we know. The plot armor is beyond ridiculous at this point. Everyone was worried before the season who they are going to kill off, have no such worries everyone is safe. Expect Jonathan or Steve to die in the finale and that would be the end of it. This is just a list on top of my head I would write more but I had enough thinking of this stupid season. When they got everyone back onboard after Season 4 after a disappointing Season 3 they release this abomination of a Season 5. Sad.

Dana

right. i understand the theme is that the characters have to face fears and release secrets in order to be at their most pure form. i assume that’s why the slop stopped caving in on jon and nancy immediately after they did it. they’ve shown it with a few characters now, BUT this was one instance especially where i felt like someone shouldn’t have made it out. if jonathan or nancy died that would have lit a fire under everyone’s ass. the urgency would have been ten times more visible and the story would have been darker. they could have ended episode 7 with that instead of the kids in a circle at henry’s tree cave.

DietCocaine

nah it’s bad and it’s not just the plot, the writing, acting, and pacing is all really bad

DietCocaine

This whole comment can be shortened to “it was just pretty cringe tbh”

DietCocaine

the problem isn’t that the dude is gay the problem is that his coming out scene was so cringe to the point where it’s not even enjoyable to watch. Did the writers forget how to do a coming out scene, the one with Robin was actually good and natural this one was insanely forced

DietCocaine

GOT ruined the characters but at least it was watchable

Jenny D

I don't like that Kali wants them to blow up with everything. I have enjoyed this season. The first part definitely had me more excited. These episodes have good parts, but I do agree that there are a lot of characters now. Millie Bobbie Brown takes more of a backseat in these episodes. I like we get more of Will and I think it was good he came out. They don't know what will happen and he wants everyone to know. I do admit they have a lot more of Holly than I thought there would be. I know technically she should be seven, but she was aged up so i think she is around 9 or 10 and a preteen in real life. I am hoping we get a satisfying finale

No Tap

Realistically though how does Will even know he is gay?

A.G

They hate u cuz ur right 😂 I'm sure studio gek thinks so too but they didn't react cuz they don't wanna lose their girl/woke fanbase

sofi ✿

If that’s all you got from it, then you weren’t engaging with the comment in good faith. Reducing a detailed critique about queer representation and trauma to “cringe” is exactly the kind of point I’m criticizing. And something important I didn’t highlight enough is that this scene is now being used as ammunition by people acting in bad faith to dismiss Will’s feelings and shame queer viewers, framing it as “woke agenda.” This was written for people open to listening. If that’s not you, feel free to move on.

sofi ✿

Realistically though how do you even know you're straight?

Vextipher

I need the main crew to be setup with a 1v1 with all these Vecna controlled kids. Numbers are pretty close, I'd take that at least lol

No Tap

It’s a biological imperative so…

sofi ✿

Attraction isn’t a biological imperative. Reproduction is. Plenty of straight people know they’re straight long before they’re thinking about reproduction, the same way gay people know who they’re attracted to. If being straight were a biological imperative, gay people wouldn’t be so consistently present across cultures, history, and even other species. Yet they do :D

Saki 🏴‍☠️✨❤️‍🔥

i think theres still a fair share of moments in which familial or platonic bonds are portrayed well, but at the same time imo max and els reunion here is far from the first time that one of said platonic bonds fell more by the wayside in favor of the response of the romantic partner with a lackluster portrayal of the others. theres also plenty of times where characters feel reduced down to being so and so's bf/gf too imo, and mike and el at the very least have seemed kinda obsessed with each other from the beginning. also i havent really interacted with the fanbase that much, but personally i dont care about the ships a whole lot. there are certainly some i favor, but im not gonna be devastated if any dont pan out, especially because half of the relationships are still between the kids of the show and it really wouldnt be that strange for them to go their separate ways at some point still

camilla

wait did we not just see the demogorgon successfully damage karen and ted in ep 1 + lucas getting a hit with a big ass demogorgon claw near his chest/neck in ep 4

No Tap

I mean what else are you supposed to do when there’s no women around? Got to get that nut off

RAE09

is this what being an illiterate homophobe does to your brain? make it p0rn rotted? god PLEASE seek help! i know you're not broke since you have money to waste on a patreon subscription so please use some of that to go to a psychiatrist because with they way you think, you're one though away from committing a hate crime

ninie

are you stupid?

No Tap

Since gay relationships are unable to result in procreation, they solely exist to derive sexual pleasure AKA getting your nut off. Disagree all you want, but guys only turn gay because they are scared of women or had some kind of homosexual experience in their development that they never moved past.

Dana

i don’t care about the ships within the fanbase but they are everywhere if you go to any post which is why i mentioned they have gotten out of hand in some cases. you see people arguing over it so that’s why i said emphasis has been placed on the romantic relationships in place of all others. it’s overshadowed the rest and gives the impression that’s what the show is about.

Kite

ts so ass

sofi ✿

This isn’t about disagreement, your argument is simply false. It’s not based in biology, it’s a stereotype. Gay relationships exist for the same reasons straight ones do: attraction, attachment, love, and companionship. Reducing them to “getting a nut off” says far more about how YOU view relationships than anything else. By your logic, infertile people wouldn’t be capable of attraction or meaningful relationships either, since reproduction would be impossible, which is obviously stupid. Sexual orientation is not caused by fear, lack of access to women, or a single experience. That idea has been debunked for decades by psychology, biology, and lived reality. What you’re doing here is just exposing your ignorance and bigotry by dressing homophobia up as pseudo-science. And if this is what you think “biology” means, I’d genuinely recommend logging out of the comment section and into a textbook.

Luke Fox

Except the directors wrote all the setup to the scene too so it still is forced.

Luke Fox

Welp we got our mandatory Arcane S2 style, "Time to take a break from our regularly scheduled programming, for our political indoctrination message"

Luke Fox

Well as a gay man myself, I am sick and tired of every single TV show doing a coming out scene like its ground breaking when its been on TV for 20 years. You do realize they do stuff like this because when all the criticism comes their way for their terrible writing they just point and go "heh heh, you must not have liked it becuase you are a hOmopHoBe". Sorry but I hope you realize these studios don't actually care for representation, they just care about using gay people to deflect any criticism.

Luke Fox

Marvel started it and I hate that every movie and show is adopting it.

Luke Fox

“Those who cannot conceive Friendship as a substantive love but only as a disguise or elaboration of Eros betray the fact that they have never had a Friend. - CS Lewis

Luke Fox

Bro 4 is no where near the level of season 1 wtf are you smoking.

Luke Fox

As a gay man myself, I concur with OP this is woke slop lmao

Kim 555

You thought you ate that…

Luke Fox

Here come the inevitable cycle of 'I liked it' to 'It actually wasn't that bad' to 'okay it actually was bad' to absolutely no one talking about the show in 2 weeks. Exactly what happened with Arcane S2 and just about the rest of series finales lately.

🖤

So this one’s probably a shared opinion, but we can all agree that we don’t trust kali right? Because I don’t trust her one bit not at all because of her trying to convince eleven to basically sacrifice herself and everything else makes me not like her nor trust her.

🖤

I’m sorry, but when Max woke up and her and Lucas was crying and sharing their feelings to each other, I was bawling. I love their relationship so much probably my favorite ship in the whole show.

sofi ✿

I actually don’t disagree with you. I also don’t think Will needed a big coming-out scene, and I’m very critical of how studios often use “representation” as a shield against criticism instead of actually writing queer characters with care. Where I’m coming from here is “we should not be grateful for scraps.” My issue is how this was written and framed, especially given the character, the time period, and everything Will has been through. If you’re going to make it this dramatic and this central (which maybe it didn’t even need to be), then the execution matters, and I think this one did more harm than good. What you said is absolutely true: studios don’t actually care about us, they care about profit and optics. But I still think it’s worth naming when a scene reinforces harmful ideas or lands in a way that gives ammunition to people acting in bad faith. For a lot of queer people I’ve talked to, this felt disrespectful rather than meaningful. That’s why I think these discussions still matter. If studios don’t care, how do we ever expect better representation if not through pressure and conversation?

ninie

Right they’re so genuine and Caden and Sadie having such an insane chemistry makes it even better

🖤

Reall

ninie

Literally.. I mean she already tried to pull El away from her family once so I wouldn’t be surprised

🖤

Exactly I won’t be surprised either if she ends up betraying them somehow if eleven ends up not going through with her plan

Marcus

This whole final season has been so mid. Maybe even less than mid, tbh. I so wanted it to be peak. Alas, no. With everything they have set up, I don't even think they can bring it around in the series finale tomorrow. Le sigh.

No Tap

For the vast majority of human history an infertile person would have no idea they were infertile.

cojiiii

Yeah tbh I don't like that she knew everything about Henry...like how?

NMP

Season 5 summed up: every episode is nearly the length of a full movie yet we’re at the finale and I feel like nothing’s happened

NMP

Remember when she flipped a van without even trying in Season 1 and literally brought down a helicopter last season now can barely open a metal grate.

NMP

It’s such an effing shame, because you could argue they were the main characters and the emotional core of season 1. I feel bad for Charlie Heaton, it feels like he’s had nothing to work with for close to a decade.

NMP

Waited almost 4 years and they just gave us the running up the hill scene again but somehow it looks even worse…

NMP

You know a season of tv is bad when the only time I see people defending it, it’s just stuff like this “stop nitpicking just enjoy it” “everyone likes to complain, me and the wife are having fun watching while we scroll TikTok on the couch” “it was so cool when epic Mrs wheeler stabbed the demogorgon with her wine glass!!” You never see anyone genuinely trying to make the case that the writing, acting, themes, etc are good though because deep down they know it’s slop

NMP

GOT peaked way higher than ST ever did so its downfall was way more depressing

NMP

Respectfully idk why you think watching the show early makes your opinion matter more than anyone else. The show was massive as soon as it came out. Millions of people watched it back then too. Also shippers and hardcore fans are such a small chunk of the audience. Most people haven’t thought about the show since Season 4 came out up until a couple months ago. We’re not coming in with ships and theories the writing and acting is just really bad.

leah

I never said it did but I’ve just personally been able to witness the shows decline since the beginning lol

Thomas Strunk

Was gonna make a comment, but this is spot on. It's so weird seeing everyone just super chill with murdering trained soldiers (which like... how do they even do so? they should be getting rekt). At the very least they should be expressing some hesitation. And yeah nobody seems to have the most standard conversations. Nobody is afraid of the upside down, nobody is asking questions they would've asked moments after the revelation (it was seemingly days later that anybody asked Max... "how did you survive exactly???"). And I'm with McKay every time Murray comes on the screen. He ONLY exists to drop random one liners. There's no regular dialogue. Dude just became a caricature of sarcastic/edgy/tool. Even him smack-talking the teacher is silly. Murray was suppose to be smart, right? Yet he's doubting the teachers RF expertise, something you think Murray would have too. Ahhh, season is awful, but I'll enjoy the last episode and have fun with it. But I SWEAR, I think we're going to get a cool music scene between all of the characters fighting Vecna in an "epic" sort of way... and I'm going to lose my mind in the worst way lol

cojiiii

Nothing happened? No wheelers getting got? No demos yeeting the military and will yeeting the demos? Discovery of a wormhole? Nothing?!

Tyler

The behind the scenes of Caleb carrying her through the hospital is so cute

🖤

Omgg yess

Saki 🏴‍☠️✨❤️‍🔥

oh yeah no i get that, but thats just to say that even without a whole lot of fanbase exposure myself, my earlier point is just how ive felt since earlier seasons too really i think - which isnt to say that i myself am under the impression that thats all the shows about, but just that the poor max/el depiction is just another thing on the list for me personally and hasnt felt exlusive to season 5 imo

Frosty

idk man, anyone comparing this to GOT is so crazy to me... this show was never close to that level of good and the "fall off" isnt anywhere as drastic either. stranger things has always been a decent show, nothing crazy but undeniably entertaining. Some of the acting got worse as they got older (specifically Will and Eleven) and the writing got a bit more shotty, but overall its still been an entertaining experience. i see people acting like the scene of Will coming out to everyone (admittedly a little bit cringe) just 1 shot the entire series for them

Tyler

Is this a good wow or WOW how did they fuck it up that badly

Tyler

Game of thrones had higher highs and lower lows but overall stranger things doesn’t even come close to touching it, the Duffers are such surface level writers who go way in over their heads and the show got to big for its own good incredibly disappointed we waited this long for that final season

Sam

I had the “WOW how did they fuck it up that badly” reaction

Tyler

Same very disappointing I hope other people liked it but I just couldn’t stand the writing this season, it hits especially hard when you go from watching something like Pluribus to this how mediocre the Duffers script is

DeeJayyy

They did it, man. Very happy with the ending.

Chosos Wife

Here after finishing the finale. I cried so much i still have a headache an hour later lmao mainly due to it being the end. I'm very 50/50 on the ending. All I'll say is, for those who have seen it, I BELIEVE

A.B

it was good

ninie

well the emoji says it all

McKay Carter

Better than I thought it would be

🖤

Same man like omg i was bawling! I also believe 100%😭

Sam

Bruh I know… it just felt like, idk, a low-tier Marvel movie crossed with a Disney Channel Original Movie.

🖤

Same, just got done bawling my eyes out tho😭

Sam

Just gonna say it here. The ending is not good. It’s not GoT finale bad, but it is not good. But man, I’m just disappointed. Happy new year to all, I hope it’s better than this finale!

Robin

if we don’t get els reaction to the finale i will riot

josie

Damn why is everyone so negative 😔

josie

I cried so much.

josie

Don’t understand why there even needs to be comparisons. Two entirely different shows.

Chris

You think it will be uploaded tonight, or in the morning?

Tyler

I’m sure some people will disagree and to be clear I think Finn is a good actor based on other roles but it genuinely felt like he didn’t give a fuck anymore and just wanted to get this over with, him and Millie have zero chemistry, boy can only act when staring into Noah’s eyes apparently

Tyler

Same but for me it was an incredibly low bar to clear after volume 2…

Tyler

I’m just sad we didn’t get her reaction to 7 I was most excited to see her reaction to Will’s coming out scene

Sam

The acting was a super mixed bag. Felt like he phoned it in - he’s been great in other stuff (in It he crushed it) Some others (Steve, Hop, Lucas, Joyce) were quite good (when they were on screen, but they weren’t on screen enough IMO). El and Robin both turned in really horrible performances IMO. Will was at best mixed, he had some cool moments but his high emotion acting I found to be really corny and bad.

Tyler

Sadie and Caleb were the highlight of the season for me outside of Noah although part of that is because Lucas and Max had the best written relationship and have amazing chemistry together

Sam

Yeah I agree, their moments together are really nice. One of the few things that I saw and was like “good job” while watching

christina

I have so many mixed emotions on the ending 😭 Some parts i loved but other parts were a mess

Belle Sharrar

Thank you for keeping us updated! Can't wait!

Major

I will say that the last 30 min had me bawling like a baby. Lots of tears were shed in the theater.

🖤

I’m so glad I didn’t watch it in theaters cause I knew I was gonna be bawling which I’m not bawling now but I’m still so depressed😭

Major

The theater was definitely cool though. The theme song slaps with those speakers lol

🖤

I understand that lol

Booger

It’s just an opinion, not everyone is going to agree lil bro

ninie

WE will riot

Seez .M

@robson junior The only one who's delivering ? Max ? Lucas ?

Seez .M

Not even close to a GOT contender, ya'll mfs are just haters with no logic behind it.

Seez .M

@Ryan Vybz No

Frosty

eleven's facial expression being unable to change for any emotion is so off putting lol, botox did her so dirty for this last season